sity of Cartagena (1827) in Cartagena, the University of Antioquia (1822) in Medelln, and the University of Nario (1827) in Pasto.DCulture The heritage of the Spanish colonial period is more noticeably preserved in Colombia than in any other South American country, and family life and dress often still conform to traditional norms. Although Colombia is a country of many racial mixtures, its culture is diversified more by region than by ethnicity. The Native American civilization was rapidly assimilated into that of the Spanish settlers, whose language nearly all Colombians speak today.Distinguished Colombian writers include the 19th-century novelist Jorge Isaacs and, in the 20th century, poet Germn Pard Garca and novelist Gabriel Garca Mrquez, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1982.The National Library in Bogot (1777) contains about 800,000 volumes; it also administers town and village libraries throughout the country. The leading museums are located in Bogot. The National Museum contains collections relating to the Spanish conquest and the colonial period. The National Archaeological Museum exhibits utensils, stone carvings, textiles, gold works, and other materials found at sites throughout the country. The famous Gold Museum features a noted collection of pre-Columbian gold objects.For Colombian literature and music, see Latin American Literature; Latin American Music; Latin American Architecture; Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture.IVECONOMY Colombia is primarily an agrarian nation, although it experienced rapid industrial growth in recent decades. In the early 1990s the country undertook an economic reform program that opened its economy to international trade and investment, and it is the only country in Latin America that maintained scheduled payments on loans during a debt crisis in the late 1980s. For these reasons the country enjoys one of the highest credit ratings in the region. Colombia's agricultural sector ...
